The Rune Wars Return
by Tjeerd55
Summary: This story is about a returning Rune Wars, but with a bigger focus on the Void's motivations and their goal. A big story upon Runeterra is the uniting of the kingdoms, the war against the Void on different locations and the chase of Veigar.
1. Chapter 1

"4 days. That is when your request will be completed."

"I thank you, Star Forger."

"However," The voice turned towards a deeper tone. "Do not forget your end of the bargain. If you dare betray me, you and your kind will face certain extinction."

"Oh, Star Forger, I would not dare to turn on you." Spitting out those words made Malzahar feel wrong inside. "For that we have no might to conquer such a powerful celestial creature." The celestial dragon narrowed his eyes, his glare piercing through Malzahar's eyes, before backing off. "I will return you to your realm. Whatever you wish to achieve with it, use it carefully."

"I wish you good luck on your travels throughout the cosmos, Star Forger."

Aurelion Sol returned Malzahar back to his throne room in The Void and continued his search for more celestial beings.

"How did your begging for power go, High Prophet? Was the enslaved dog in a good mood?" A chittering voice called out to Malzahar. "Do not dare to undermine me nor Aurelion Sol. He has eyes everywhere. If I were you, Kha'zix, I'd be careful with my words or you'll end up like the rotten remains of Karul's 104th Legion." The spiked bug grinned. "When will our next Invasion take place, High Prophet? The Star Guardians are slowly rebirthing and there's been no report of our little scrying orb." Malzahar stops moving and creates a small singularity at Kha'zix' location. The bug leapt away with fright in his eyes. "Veigar will return soon. After all, all he craves for, is unlimited power." Malzahar continues walking towards the massive opening in the clouds. In the distance, a planet was floating in the nothingness of space. "The First Star is among them. Reborn. Commited to one thing: Our demise." Malzahar turned around and spoke in a loud and clear voice. "Prepare for the 174th Invasion of Planet 3C8GJ1, Codename: Runeterra. Kha'zix, I want you to travel to Ica'thia. We're gonna need our elite squad back again."

"As you wish, High Prophet." Kha'zix gathered a small group of Khathian Hunters and leapt towards the surface of Runeterra with great speed.

* * *

"High Emperor!" A voice blurted throughout the palace halls. "High Emperor, the Void are invading once mo-" The hesitant voice was cut off by a loud sound. An Ascended rose from the throne. "Wake the sleeping Guardian. Send the Battle Mistress to the kingdom of mortals. We must rally against our greatest foe once again. For this time, we might end it all." It only took seconds after Azir's orders that the Guardian of the Sands had entered the palace halls. "Nasus, command an army towards Ica'thia. We must prevent Malzahar from reforming the greatest threat that the united Runeterra has ever faced. Whatever Malzahar is up to now, it cannot be any good."

"High Emperor, while resting, my mind came across a vision. A grand army led by Malzahar and his elite squad marching towards Runeterra. Kingdoms were destroyed and armies were left broken. And just when the Rune Mage gathered our only hope, the Forger of Stars broke Runeterra into shattered dust."

"Do you happen to know how this came to be?"

"A yordle, tainted by the Void, was sent on a mission to collect an artifact. An artifact located in the Shadow Isles. The Eye of the Watchers. Once he brought this to Malzahar, he infused the yordle with its immense power to reform the opposition to the First Star herself."

"And who might this yordle be?"

"The yordle goes by two names. He is most commonly known as Veigar. Less commonly however, is his title. The Tiny Master of Evil."

"Veigar...Always hungry for more power. We can't allow this cretin to collect the Eye and bring it to Malzahar. The First Star will reform and will banish the Void forever."

"What do you wish for me to do, High Emperor?"

"For now, command an army towards Ica'thia. We need to repel their attack. We cannot afford for them to reform their elite squad.

"But what about Veigar?"

"I will contact the Battle Mistress. She will lead a small infiltration towards the Shadow Isles to cut him off. He won't get away this time."

"Good luck, High Emperor." The voice of the Guardian was clearly on a sadder tone.

"Don't worry, Nasus. She'll be fine."

With a hidden smile growing on Nasus' face, the Guardian of the Sands set off to his barracks to gather his own army. Azir knew that Nasus cared about Sivir. He treated her like she was his daughter. "This time, Malzahar, I will stop you for good." Azir mumbled to himself. "There is no way that you will recreate that monstrosity from thousands of years ago. The monstrosity that awakened the fuel of Xerath's choices to forcefully interrupt the Ascension ritual. That creature will not come to fruition again. The united army of Runeterra will put an end to your dark campaign."

Azir glanced at the clouds of shadow in the nothingness of space. "We will put an end to your dark campaign."


	2. Chapter 2

"Great landing. Now go and set up a small base camp. Call out for some Xer'sai for aid. I'll go and infiltrate the Icathian holding cells in Coldsand Outpost to see where they've been hiding our old friends." Kha'zix turned invisible, however, one of the Khathian Hunters noticed that even his master hadn't completely adapted to every of Runeterra's landscapes. "Master Kha'zix, your leav-" The Khathian Hunter was interrupted by a push from one of his fellow Hunters. "Be quiet. We cannot afford being heard without any type of defense!" "But what about the master? He's leaving footprints in the sand. If any Shuriman follows them up to here, we'd be scr-" "If anyone finds our base, we kill them. No two ways about it." After a grumbling sigh, the Khathian Hunter went back to setting up the base camp.

Kha'zix had forgotten how the sands of Shurima felt under his feet. With every step Kha'zix made, the hot sand swirled onto his feet, giving the bug a warming embrace around his feet. One question was still bothering Kha'zix about Shurima. Why was the sand so warm? Was it the sun just having more impact on Shurima? Or was it caused by that Sun Disc? At the apex of his own mind, Kha'zix leapt away from his location. He had only just now noticed the burning sigil on the ground. As Kha'zix turned towards the direction of Coldsand Outpost again, he was met with a striking Guardian. Kha'zix managed to quickly leap backwards, before looking at the Guardian once more. "It seems your battle-scarred mind is still as active as ever, Guardian of the Sands." Nasus narrowed his eyes and responded. "Leave our planet alone. There is nothing for you here." "We know, nothing of actual value is obtainable here. We are just here to meet with our old comrades again. Do you happen to know where they might be?" Nasus growled at Kha'zix. "Leave our planet alone." "Now, now. We don't mean any harm. We were just intere-." Before Kha'zix could finish that sentence, Nasus charged towards Kha'zix. Kha'zix shrugged his shoulders and leapt forwards. Kha'zix outsped the mighty Guardian and striking a full blow onto his golden body. Nasus didn't flinch and rose his cane towards the Sun Disc, empowering it. Kha'zix was fast, which he knew. Kha'zix prepared to leap when Nasus' lowered his cane, but found himself unable to move. A sandshaped-spear was pierced through his frail body, paralyzing his movements. Nasus looked up briefly, looking at the floating Eye of the Emperor. He then lowered the cane with all his might and struck the bug with his empowered cane. Kha'zix laid limp. "Let me bring him to the cellar. He could provide some useful information." When Nasus went to pick him up, Kha'zix pulled a purple stone from his broken wings. A Voidstone. He used the Voidstone to teleport away. Nasus sniffed with his nose. "No scent discovered." Nasus' face had been filled with disappointment. "Don't sit idle for long. I've discovered something about the War Scrolls that might finally turn the battle against the Void.

"Back so soon, are you?"

"You don't have any right to blame me when we compare our accomplishments, Kog'maw."

"That might be true, yes. But you trying to fight an Ascended, but not any Ascended, Nasus, and failing horribly was truly humorous." The creature tried not to burst out into laughter.

"That is where my point lies. It was Nasus. Have you tried to battle him? You'd be squashed in an instant." Kog'maw walked up to Kha'zix. Both looked like they'd obliterate each other. "Stop this bickering, you are supposed to be working together, not against each other." A deep voice trembled throughout the clouds. "You have no rights commanding us, Cho'gath. You've been sitting idle for years now while we've been doing as much as we can." "Kha'zix." Malzahar's voice echoed throughout the place. "Return to Ica'thia at once and scout from the base. Don't get caught out."

"But Nasus has clairvoyant eyes. He easily saw through my stealth."

"Nasus did not see you through your stealth, he just tracked your footsteps in the sand while you weren't paying attention." Kha'zix tries to recollect his memories from his encounter with Nasus. "Was that the reason why one of my Khathian Hunters called out to me?"

"Yes, he tried to remind you of that."

"My own stupidity almost costed me my life. I'm sorry, High Prophet."

"Do not worry, Kha'zix. All will be set and done once Veigar has returned with the Eye of the Watchers."

"Now that you mention it, how is Veigar doing? I'm curious to see if he will uphold his end of the bargain." Malzahar creates a projection of an eye that then flies towards the Shadow Isles. "Veigar has not reached his destination yet. Where is he now?" Malzahar orders the eye to move back up again and scout for the Tiny Master of Evil. "I have managed to track his location. He is nearing Kaladown."

"I truly wonder how is he going to travel towards the Shadow Isles without any way of transportation."

"No transportation? A vessel of souls lies waiting at the beach of Kaladown. We asked Yorick for a vessel in trade for a few remains he could bury and lay to rest."

"Wouldn't it be strange for anyone to figure out finding a yordle riding a vessel from Yorick towards the Shadow Isles?"

"That might be the case, but we have no option. Using any void transportation would leave a mark behind for him."

"Let's hope he returns with the Eye of the Watchers safely. We don't want it lying on his corpse for anyone to collect later on."

"Yeah, our hope lies on this yordle for now."

"What do you plan to do with after he delivers the Eye?"

"I'll add him to our ranks permanently."

"Can't wait to show him the ropes." Kha'zix and Malzahar both laugh.

"A vessel of souls?"

"This looks like one that belongs to Yorick, Battle Mistress."

"Indeed. This one definitely belongs to Yorick."

"Mistress, I'm hearing footsteps. We must hide before we are seen."

"That is the logical option." Sivir and her Battlemaidens quickly make their way to the forest, hiding themselves from view. "Now we wait."


	3. Chapter 3

The tiny yordle turns back at the vessel of souls in front of him.

"You are making a terrible mistake, Veigar." Sivir said, laying wounded on the ground.

"Stay out of my business, Battle Mistress. I have my orders and a prize to claim."

"He will grant you nothing but an empty bag of nothing. Malzahar is doing this for your own gains."

Veigar frowns at Sivir. His look was haunting to Sivir. "He will grant me the power he promised me. Do not mistrust Malzahar."

Sivir looks worried at Veigar. "It'd be best if you turned away. Either now, or once you've captured the Eye. He's gonna feed you to his beast once you're back."

"Shut your mouth!" Veigar yelled, causing black ravens, who were sitting on the top of the nearby trees, to fly away. One of them hovered around a little, with a left eye colored red and a necklace with a peculiar pattern. His staff pointed at Sivir directly. Her Chalicar had a massive crack through it, obtained by an attempt of blocking Veigar's Dark Matter. It still had some black dust on it. She knew that she couldn't use it again, not at this moment. "I have no plans of bringing this to Malzahar either.." Veigar muttered.

Sivir sighs in relief. "I expected as much. He is a tyrant that needs to be stopped."

Veigar lowered his staff. "I won't be able to myself. Once I've captured the Eye, I'll go and hide away, away from that cursed eye."

"I could assist you, if you insist." Sivir lends out her hand to the yordle. His hand hesitates to reach, until he stops himself and his look went back to focus. He turned around and looked back at the vessel. A portal was forming, with a dark shadow forming inside it. "Hide, hide in the forest. I'll come back." Veigar whispered in Sivir's direction, before a creature was manifested out of the portal. Kha'zix, who has returned from recovery after his lost battle with Nasus, has been called to inform him.

"Orders from the High Prophet himself. You'd better hurry up, or you'll lose your prize."

"I had to finish business with the Battle Mistress. She won't be telling the word back to the Emperor."

"Good work. Now, make your way to the Eye on the Isles. No more hinderences."

Veigar nods and enters the vessel. Kha'zix returned through the portal, which closes shortly after. Veigar looks back at the forest, where Sivir gives him the thumbs up and retreats back further into the forest. He smiles and leaves the coast in the vessel.

"The yordle made it's way out. He smited all of my Battlemaidens with one spell. I managed to block it using the Chalicar." The Emperor looked a little dissappointed. "But there's nothing to worry about. Veigar has alterior motives." Azir looked back up at Sivir, confused.

"What motives?"

Sivir smiles. "He isn't planning to deliver the Eye to Malzahar. He has no interest in dealing with the Void Prophet." Azir smiles happily at Sivir.

"That is great to hear. Malzahar will then be trying to deal with Veigar instead of us." Sivir looks a little sad and dissappointed at Azir after that statement. "We will be assisting him, do not worry, Mistress."

"So, once Malzahar finds out that Veigar will not bring him the Eye, we have more time to pre-" Sivir's sentence was cut off as the ceiling of the temple falls down. The top was coated in purple dust.

Sivir runs outside while Azir hovers through the gap. Their vision was scattered by the endless members of the Void Council. Hundreds of purple-colored weapon-wielding soldiers in perfect formation, running through the inner section of the Shuriman Empire. Lines upon lines of mages casting dark spells in the direction of the Sun Disc. And in the back, in the sand-colored dust, was a glowing purple blob.

"This cannot be…" Sivir looked at the army with a stunned gaze and open mouth. "Sivir, are you battle-ready? Azir looked Sivir right in her eyes. It scared her just a little bit.

"Yes, my Emperor." Azir nods at Sivir and raises his staff, which starts to glow at the tip.

"To be attacked at this moment. Quite clever of you, Malzahar." Sivir looks down at the battlefield, where out from the sand came many sand-made soldiers to fight the intruders. Sivir picked up her Chalicar, nodded at Azir and jumped down the stairs, throwing her glowing Chalicar. The weapon hits multiple in it's course, and then bounces off another to return towards it's owner. Azir and Sivir hold their stand against the endless army of the Prophet.


End file.
